Seventy years ago today, the Houston Cougars ended the 1953 season with a win over Tennessee at Rice Stadium, 33-19. Five different Cougars scored rushing touchdowns that day.
| Tennessee | Houston | |
|---|---|---|
| First Downs | 7 | 16 |
| Rush Yards | 220 | 260 |
| Pass Yards | 0 | 72 |
| Total Yards | 220 | 332 |
| Att/Comp | 5/6 | 8/11 |
| Fumbles | 2 | 2 |
| Penalty Yards | 25 | 40 |
| Touchdowns | 3 | 5 |
UH led 13-6 at the break after controlling the first half. The Cougars scored on a nearly 10-minute drive to open the second half. But Tennessee fought back, cutting the lead to 20-19 on the first play of the fourth quarter. Vol Jimmy Wade scored 3 TDs that day, with two of them going 60 yards or longer.
With the lead down to one, Houston scored twice in the next 10 minutes to put the game away.
The Cougars finished 4-4-1 (1-2 MVC) that season, having tied A&M in the opener (14-14), then alternating losses and wins all year. The schedule looked like this: tie, loss, win, loss, win, loss, win, loss, win. UH beat MVC champ Detroit on the road but lost to Tulsa and Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State). Tennessee went 6-4-1.
Highlight video and viewing guide
Tennessee is wearing white helmets, while UH is in dark helmets and jerseys. The video has no sound:
0:22 – Vol TB Jimmy Wade (#93) 60-yard TD (6-0 UT)
0:52 – UH punt returner Kenny Stegall (31) goes 23 yards
1:06 – QB Bobby Clatterbuck (18) 18-yard TD (7-6 UH)
1:28 – Defender Teddy Gray (11) recovers a fumble
1:42 – Clatterbuck fakes a pitch and goes 10 yards
1:52 – Tommy Bailes (40) runs 11 yards
1:59 – Stegall scores for Houston (13-6 UH)
End of the first-half highlights.
2:12 – Clatterbuck passes twice Lavell Isbell (88)
2:31 – Bobby Don Walker (20) scores (20-6 UH)
2:52 – Vols’ Wade scores from 63 (20-13 UH)
3:14 – UH punter Donn Hargrove (24) is blocked
3:42 – UT’s Wade scores for the 3rd time (20-19 UH)
(UH’s 4th TD is missing. Hargrove scored to make it 27-19)
4:01 – Clatterbuck keeps it and gets to the six-yard line
4:15 – Jack Patterson (45) scores from the one (33-19 UH)
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